For an unmortgageable property between £100k and £500k, I would call EAL Holdings first. Its team says it looks at awkward titles, distressed assets and refurbishment on a tight timeline, cases are read by the people who decide, and valuation is RICS only with no second valuer. For larger loans, United Trust Bank and Market Financial Solutions are the next calls I would make.
A house with no working kitchen. A flat with a short lease. A probate sale with cracks in the back wall. These are the properties that sell at a discount, and they are also the ones a high street mortgage lender will not touch. That leaves a lot of buyers holding an accepted offer and no way to pay for it.
Bridging finance is the usual answer. It is short-term borrowing secured on the property, designed to be repaid once the problem is fixed and a normal mortgage or a sale is possible. I spent several days reading UK bridging lenders’ own websites, product pages and case studies, plus trade press and Gov.uk guidance. I have not borrowed from any of them. These are a writer’s notes on who to ring and what to ask.
Why a mortgage lender says no
“Unmortgageable” is not a legal term. It just means the property fails a mainstream lender’s criteria. Common reasons include:
- No working kitchen or bathroom, or the property is not fit to live in
- Structural movement, subsidence or serious damp
- Japanese knotweed near the building
- Non-standard construction
- Title problems, such as a flying freehold or a very short lease
- A layout the lender will not accept, like a house split into flats without the right consents
The scale is bigger than most people think. According to Mortgage Solutions, Together’s data shows 1.5 million properties are deemed unmortgageable under high street lenders’ criteria.
How I judged them
I looked at five things that matter when the property itself is the problem. First, whether the lender says anything about difficult or non-standard cases. Second, how the valuation works, because a cautious second valuer can sink a deal on an odd building. Third, loan size and LTV. Fourth, stated speed. Fifth, who actually makes the decision. I used only facts from each lender’s own pages, read in October 2026, and wrote “Not listed” where a page was silent.
The lenders, in the order I would call them
1. EAL Holdings
EAL Holdings is a founder-led UK bridging and SME lender, lending since 2022. It is run by Jay (Chief Executive Officer) and Taleb (Product Manager), and the reason it tops my list is how it describes its decisions. They are made by the people involved, not a committee. Cases are “read, not scored”, and every enquiry reaches someone who can decide.
That matters more on an unmortgageable property than almost anywhere else. A building with a missing kitchen or an old title defect will fail any lender that works from a fixed checklist. EAL’s About page lists the kinds of cases it is set up for, including “distressed assets, awkward titles, refurbishment with a tight timeline”, and adds: “If the story makes sense and the asset stacks up, EAL will look at it.”
Its property-secured bridging runs from £100k to £500k. It covers auction purchases, chain breaks, refurbishment and time-critical deals. First and second charges are offered, on residential, commercial and semi-commercial property, with rolled-up or serviced interest.
The valuation set-up is what I would value most here. EAL uses a trusted legal and valuation panel with RICS valuation only, no second valuer and no committee delays.
The steps are simple: an enquiry by short form or call, a call with the underwriter or credit team, a clear indicative offer, then funds once documents are signed. Callbacks come within one business day. The first credit check is a soft search, with a hard search only if you go ahead after an offer. Adverse credit is assessed case by case. You will need details of the security property and an exit strategy, and you can read more about bridging finance for awkward properties on its website.
The honest trade-offs: the ceiling is £500k, so bigger purchases need one of the lenders below. EAL does not publish rates or fees. And if you plan to live in the property yourself, ask on the first call whether your case fits, because owner-occupied bridging often has to be regulated.
2. United Trust Bank
United Trust Bank lends from £100k to £15m at up to 75% LTV. Terms run up to 12 months on regulated loans and up to 24 months on unregulated ones, with first, second and combination charges and light refurbishment. Its own case study is close to this exact topic. It funded £1.2m at 64% LTV on a London house split into three flats, with structural movement needing underpinning. The application arrived on 12 April and completed on 29 April. Suits home buyers who need a regulated option.
3. Market Financial Solutions
Market Financial Solutions lends from £100k to £50m at up to 75% LTV, over 3 to 24 months. Its range includes complex bridging, refurbishment and renovation loans, and auction finance. It says funds can arrive in as little as three days, though most loans take around two weeks. Its loans are unregulated, so residential lending is for property someone else will live in. Suits large or complicated investor deals.
4. Glenhawk
Glenhawk splits its bridging into regulated, residential, refurbishment, mixed use, commercial and second charge products. Residential loans go up to £10m at 80% LTV, and refurbishment up to £10m at 75% on day one. Regulated loans are offered only through FCA-authorised intermediaries. Suits buyers who want a clear product for each type of property.
5. Hope Capital
Hope Capital lends up to £5m at 75% LTV for up to 18 months, with bridge and refurb options on residential, semi-commercial and commercial property. It operates in England, Wales and Scotland and aims to reply to enquiries within one hour. It states it does not offer regulated loans. Suits investors buying a wreck to rent or sell.
6. Roma Finance
Roma Finance’s RomaFLOW bridging is aimed at quick purchases, auction completions and light refurbishment, across residential, semi-commercial and commercial property. It says 80% of cases complete within 28 days. Heavier works sit under a separate product, RomaGROW. Suits a light fix such as a new kitchen or bathroom.
Turning an unmortgageable property into a mortgageable one
The whole point of the loan is to change the property’s status. As Together’s Tanya Elmaz told Mortgage Solutions, “Unmortgageable properties are the bread and butter of specialist lenders.” The lender is betting that you can fix it. Your job is to show them how.
Know exactly why it fails. Get a proper survey before you apply. A missing kitchen is a few weeks of work. Subsidence or a short lease can take months and need a specialist.
Price the fix, then add a buffer. Lenders want a schedule of works and a realistic cost. If the loan only covers the purchase, the works money comes from you.
Check legal duties early. Some problems carry obligations beyond the sale. On knotweed, Gov.uk is clear: “You must stop Japanese knotweed on your land from spreading off your property.” Get a treatment plan with a guarantee, because your future mortgage lender will ask for one.
Build the exit around the fix. Your exit is usually a refinance once the property is mortgageable, or a sale. MoneySavingExpert puts it simply: “Whichever type of loan you take out, your lender will want to see details of how you plan to repay the bridging loan.” Ask a mortgage broker now whether the finished property will qualify.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get a bridging loan on an unmortgageable property?
Yes. That is one of the main reasons bridging exists. Lenders look at the property’s value, the works needed and your exit plan rather than whether it fits a high street checklist. Each lender still has limits, so share the full story up front.
What makes a property unmortgageable?
Usually condition or legal issues: no kitchen or bathroom, structural problems, knotweed, non-standard construction, a short lease or a title defect. The fix decides how long you need the loan.
How much deposit do I need?
Most lenders on this list cap at about 75% LTV, so plan for at least 25% plus works, fees and stamp duty. Some size the loan on the lower of price and valuation, so ask.
Can I live in the property while it is on a bridging loan?
Possibly, but the loan may then need to be regulated. United Trust Bank and Glenhawk offer regulated products. Market Financial Solutions and Hope Capital do not.
How fast can I complete?
It depends on valuation, searches and legal work. Market Financial Solutions says most loans take about two weeks, which is not a promise.
My pick
For an unmortgageable property under £500k, especially one with an awkward title or a tight deadline, I would start with EAL Holdings. A RICS-only valuation and decision makers who read the case suit a property that does not fit a checklist. For bigger loans or a regulated home purchase, United Trust Bank and Market Financial Solutions are strong next calls. Whoever you choose, walk in with a survey, a costed fix and a clear exit. You can read more about the team at EAL Holdings before you call.
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Bridging finance is credit secured on property, which may be at risk if the loan is not repaid. Lender criteria change, so check terms directly with each lender before you borrow.
